Chris Wilder vows to continue criticising Sheffield United players in public and says it helps them 'man up'

Numerous pundits, managers and former professionals alike insisted it is wrong to admonish footballers in the media after hearing Jose Mourinho, Wilder’s counterpart at Tottenham Hotspur, chastised several members of his squad in recent weeks.

Wilder also found himself being admonished by some when he admitted Dean Henderson needed to “do better” following a crucial error against Liverpool earlier this term.

After predicting the goalkeeper will win his first senior cap later this month when England host Italy and Denmark, Wilder has again been asked to provide his thoughts on the matter ahead of this weekend’s visit to Newcastle.

With United battling for a place in Europe only a season after being promoted from the Championship, it has been suggested the 52-year-old could be tempted to soften his approach between now and the end of the campaign.

But Wilder, again using Henderson as an example, said: “Listen, it’s a tough industry.

“If you can’t take criticism, when you’re playing in arenas full of 30,000 to 50,000 people and sometimes more, then I think you’re probably in the wrong job. The Premier League is shown across the world, it’s worldwide, everyone can see what you do.”

“I should imagine he (Henderson) gets worse out there than what I’ve given him in the past and every single player knows it’s never personal.

“I’m consistent, my lads know I’m also their biggest supporter as well as their biggest critic, which I have to be. They rise to that challenge and they man-up, if you want to put it like that.”

United will enter Saturday’s match unbeaten in six and only five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with 10 games remaining.

Newcastle will be without Martin Dubravka due to a knee injury the Slovak sustained during their meeting with Southampton.

Karl Darlow is expected to deputise between the posts, despite not playing a top-flight match for over two years.